Commode-stool.



No. 703,690y Patented my l, |902. w. H. YouNG. y

COMMDDESTOUL (Application led Jan. 3. '1902.=

(No Model.)

Allarney UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAMAV H. YOUNG, OF ATHENS., GEORGIA.

colvlIVIODE-STOOI..

SPECIFICATION forming part of `Letters Patent No. 703,690, dated July 1, 1902. Application fled January 3,1902. Serial No. 88,311. (No modell.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. YOUNG, a citizen of the United States,residing at Athens, in the county of Clarke andStateof Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Commode-Stools, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

In order to make my invention more clearly understood, I have shown in the'accompanying drawings means for carrying it in to practical eect,withoutlimiting myimprovements in their useful applications to the particular construction which for the sake of illustration I have delineated.

In said drawings, Figure lis a perspective view of a childs folding commode-stool embodying my invention, the same being shown as set up for use. Fig. 2 is a rear view. Fig. 3 is a section on line III III, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a face view of the same folded. Fig. 5 is an end view-of the same. Fig. 6 is aside view of the same inclosed in a shawl or wrapping. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 show means for furnishing the stool with a back. Fig. 10 is a view in elevation, partly in section, showing themanner of applying the device to a water-closet bowl.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the seat of the stool, made of thin light wood and preferably formed Withan opening o, adapting it for use with a vesselB.

C C indicate the side or supporting pieces, each comprising legs c and c, connected bya top bar c2. By preference these three parts are formed from a single piece of thin wood. At theinner upperedge of the bar c2 the latter is connected withV the seat A by a hinge or hinges D, adapted-to fallow both leg-pieces C to be folded fiat upon the under facefof the seat. The leg-piecesare of such length that when folded they will lie in the same planes and approximately meet at the middle of the seat without overlapping. vA pair c d of said legs are carriedby extensions c3, constituting parts of the pieces C, which bring said legs when folded beyond the edge of the seat, thereby forming a handle E, by which the whole device may be conveniently carried in the hand. The folded chair is welladapted to have a shawl or other covering F wrapped and strapped around it, concealing the character of the chair and leaving the handle eX- posedand allowing of the transportation of such shawl and other articles-for instance, childs clothing-by the handle E with great convenience.

Various means may be employed for holding the parts C in their open or upright position. I prefer such as will allow of the folded chair being taken by one hand and shaken or the folded parts allowed to drop into the set-up position while the other hand is occupied, as with holding the child. I also employ a holding means which will at the same time serve to confine a vessel beneath the chair. To this end I provide the seat with legsy and movable by gravity into its engaging position. Such a device is shown at G, consisting of a wooden bar of a length equal to the distance between the parts C when the latter are unfolded and hinged by its outer upper edge to the rear lower edge of the seat, as indicated at g. As the chair is picked up by the seat the legs will fall into an upright .a brace or stop adapted to engage both of the position, and the securing device Gwill-drop between them, a little shaking or swinging of the chair being all that is necessary to insure that the parts shall assume these positions. The chair being set up, achild may occupy it for an indefinite time and hitch around without possibility ofdisengaging or disarranging its parts or of upsetting the vessel which may be used with the chair. The bar G,vtogether with the supporting-pieces and 4the legs of the child in front, entirely inclose the vessel and prevent any material shifting ofthe chair relative thereto.

Oatchesor hooks may be provided,as shown at I, for connecting the bar G with the supporting-pieces after the chair has been put in position for use and, as shown at I', for fastening the' legswhen folded.

Fromthe foregoing description it will be observed that my invention offers several important advantages. An extreme portability arises Afrom the arrangement and combination of its parts, providing, by folding, the handle, as described, of a single thickness of IOO Y I Y wood, and the whole device consisting when folded of but two thicknesses of thin material. This adapts it to be laid flatin a trunk, so as to occupy practically no room, or it may easily be taken in a carriage or railway-car and used on the ground or over an ordinary closet-seat. It may be very quickly and almost instantly taken out of a trunk and set up with one hand while the other hand is occupied. A perfect solidity when set up is finally attained,with no projections or sharp edges to scratch or bruise a child. These qualities make the device of the greatest use at home, and especially in traveling and on excursions, picnics, &e., with small children.

In Figs. 7, 8, and 9 I have shown how a simple but eifective back can be applied to the stool, whose parts are so arranged as to not make the entire article more bulky by their presence, there being still but two thickf nesses of the wooden parts. The stool proper in this case is similar to that above described, although I prefer to form two rabbets in the rear edge of the seat-board A, as shown at jj. J J indicate light bars which are pivoted atj'j' to the stop-piece or back piece G. Vhen the parts of the stool are opened and put into operative position, these uprights are turned to the position shown in Fig. 7, their movement through the upper part of their swing being permitted by the rabbetsj, and when in their uppermost positions they abut against the shoulders atjz. J is a fabric band,of canvas or other suitable material, one end of which is attached to one of the uprights J and the other end of which is loose, but adapted to be attached, as shown in Fig. 7. iVhen the article is to have its parts packed, the loose end of band J is released and the uprights are folded down into `the position shownin Fig. 8 and Fig. 9. The latter figure illustrates the fact that the article as a whole is made no thicker when folded because of the presence of the folding back, as the parts J J lie in the same plane as the seat-piece A.

The device has its parts so constructed that it can not only be used in the ways above described, but is also adapted for the seating of a small child upon the bowl of an ordinary water-closet. In such case the parts while still folded, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, are placed upon the bowl K or upon the wooden lid K', commonly combined with suoli bowl, in the way illustrated in Fig. IO, the part A, with its relatively small opening d, being properly held above the larger opening in the lid. The parts c c' c2 c3 are so shaped as to provide for this, and the devices can be applied in the way referred to, for when folded they lie entirely outside the edges of the aperture (t in the seat-board, so that the article can be placed upon the bowl, as stated, without having any obstructions whatever above or below the article.

l. In a childs commode-stool, the combination, of the seat-board A provided with the apertu re a,the legs C hinged to the seat-board and adapted to fold under the same, and the rear board G hinged to the seat-board and folding outwardly, said parts being adapted to inclose the commode except at the front, and to fold together and form but two thicknesses of material, substantially as set forth.

2, In a childs commode-stool, the combination, of the seat-board A formed with the aperture a, the end legs C hinged to and terminating at the seat-board, and arranged to provide a relatively wide base of support and the rear board or bar G pivoted to and terminating at the seat-board and adapted to drop between and brace the side legs when the parts of the stool are in open position, the side legs and back bar being arranged to lie in the same planes when folded, and all of said parts being relatively arranged as described, whereby when folded they present but two thicknesses of material, substantially as set forth.

3. In a childs commode-stool, vthe combination of the seat-board A, with the aperture a, the end legs C hinged to the seat-board and adapted to fold under the same, and having the leg portions c3 serving as a handle when the stool is folded, substantially as set forth.

4f. In a childs commode-stool, the combination of the seat-board A provided with the aperture at, the end legs C hinged to the Seatboard, and adapted to fold against the face of the seat, and shaped to have leg portions which when the parts are folded come into proximity to each other at their ends and provide a handle as at E remote from the edge of the seat-board, substantially as set forth.

5. In a childs commode-stool, the combination of the seat-board A provided with the aperture a, the end legs C hinged to and terminating at the seat-board and to fold against the face thereof, said legs being shaped substantially as set forth, and arranged to have their ends approach each other when folded to provide a handle remote from the seatboard, and a back board G hinged to the seatboard, and arranged to drop between the legs C when the latter are opened and to lie in the planes of the seat-board or the legs when the latter are folded, substantially as described.

6. In a commode-stool, the combination with the seat and the legs, of the folding back having the uprights hinged to the stool, and arranged to bear inwardly against stops, and the cross connecting device for the uprights as at J detachable from one or both thereof, substantially as set forth.

7. In a commode-stool, the combination, with the legs the seat having stops as atj, and the hinged back piece, of the uprights J, J pivoted to the hinged back piece and adapted to swing upward and abut against IOS) IIO

7Q3,69o y 3 said stop, and means for connecting together the uprights When in their opened positions, substantially as set forth.

8. In a childs nursery-stool, the combination of the seat-board having a relatively small aperture a, the side bars c2 hinged directly to the said seat-board and adapted to fold' against the same to form a seat of two thicknesses of material, and front and rear legs carried by said side bars and arranged 1o out of line with the aperture a when the parts are folded.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WM. H. YOUNG.

Witnesses:

G. A. MELL, R. C. LA TIMER. 

